This invention relates to high speed services, and more particularly, to methods for testing communication links for high speed services.
XDSL is a digital connection to a location of a customer (a.k.a. user) over standard, single twisted pair, wiring that is already connected to most premises. As a result of the increased transmission capacity of XDSL compared to standard telephone connections, XDSL promises to transmit large data files to the premises of users for computer, video and other large data operation in a fast and efficient manner. There are many different types of XDSL services such as asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL), high bit rate digital subscriber line (HDSL), high bit rate digital subscriber line-2 (HDSL-2), symmetric digital subscriber line (SDSL), very high speed digital subscriber line (VDSL), ADSL-lite, and other similar high speed digital services. Additionally, there are other non-digital high speed transmission techniques.
Unfortunately, some potential user lines lack the capability of supporting a high speed service because of deficiencies in the loop transmission characteristics. As such, service providers offering XDSL or other high speed service to potential users must first determine if the lines of the potential user can support high speed service. Thus, there is a need to perform high speed service tests for potential users.
Service providers (such as telecommunication companies Ameritech, Pacific Telesis, GTE, Southwestern Bell, etc.) that have physical access to the local loops via traditional office metallic test equipment such as mechanized loop testing (MLT) equipment can easily perform these tests. The local loops are the physical wires that run from the customer premises equipment (CPE) of the user to the central office of the service provider. CPE generally relates to any telephonic equipment (telephones, key systems, private branch exchange (PBX), answering machines, etc.) that resides on the premises of the user.
MLT provides computer control of accurate and extensive loop testing functions in the user contact, screening, testing, dispatch and close-out phases of trouble report handling. MLT also provides full diagnostic outputs instead of just pass and fail indications.
As XDSL and other high speed services continue to grow, an ever increasing number of service providers will offer high speed service to potential users. Many of these service providers will not have direct access to any metallic loop testing such as MLT because these service providers do not have physical access to the local loops.
For service providers that do not have access to the local loops the only option available to perform high speed service tests is to perform double ended measurement techniques. Unfortunately, these double ended measurement techniques require the dispatch of test personnel from the service provider, that does not have access to the local loops, to the premises of the potential user. Thus, there is a need to perform a single ended test method that would allow a service provider to perform high speed service tests without dispatching personnel to the premises of a potential user and without requiring access to the local loop via traditional office metallic test equipment.
The above problems are solved, and a number of technical advances are achieved in the art, by using a time interval between the time that a CPE device terminates a received call and the time that the central office disconnects the call.
In accordance with the invention, a test unit is connected to one end (first end) of a communication link. A call is then made from a communication unit, located at a test facility, at the first end of the communication link to CPE located at a second end of the communication link. The CPE receives the call at the second end of the communication link and then terminates the call. The test unit tests the communication link within a time interval after the CPE terminates the call.